Department for Transport

A66 and A303: Construction

Lord Berkeley: To ask His Majesty's Government what the latest cost benefit analysis and business cases are for (1) the Stonehenge road tunnel, and (2) the A66 road improvement between Scotch Corner and the M6; and what assessment they have made as to whether these works demonstrate good value for money.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The A303 Stonehenge project is being redetermined by the Secretary of State for Transport following an Order of the High Court made on 30 July 2021, the decision dated 12 November 2020, to grant development consent for the application by National Highways (formerly Highways England) was quashed. Further details on the re-determination process are published on the project page on the Planning Inspectorate’s website. As this is a live planning application, the Department for Transport cannot comment further on the application.The A66 Trans-Pennine project is at outline business case (OBC) stage and is currently under Development Consent Order examination. The OBC gives a BCR of 0.9, which does not include the benefits of further work to develop and refine the project. As this is a live planning application, the Department for Transport cannot comment further on the application.

Department of Health and Social Care

NHS: Drugs

Lord Blencathra: To ask His Majesty's Government what are the responsibilities of the (1) National Homecare Medicines Committee, (2) National Clinical Homecare Association, (3) Care Quality Commission, (4) General Pharmaceutical Council, (5) Chief Pharmacist, (6) NHS Clinical Referring Centre, (7) NHS Pharmacy Homecare Teams, and (8) NHS Clinical Referring Centres, in regard to the provision of homecare medicines services; and whether any of those has responsibility to (a) change, or (b) cancel, contracts, with providers of homecare medicines in instances where they fail to deliver on their contracts; and if so, which one.

Lord Markham: Providers of Homecare Medicine services to National Health Service patients do so under framework agreements which may be held at national at NHS England, regional at NHS procurement hubs or local at hospital trust level. This therefore requires a high degree of centralised co-ordination for which the National Homecare Medicines Committee (NHMC) supports and advises the NHS on matters relating to homecare medicines services. The Committee liaises with homecare providers through their trade association the National Clinical Homecare Association to support and co-ordinate development of the homecare market and discuss any system wide issues.When the Key Performance Indicators indicate that the services levels of a provider on a national NHS England framework, NHS regional framework or contract are not to the standard expected, the NHMC, which is managed by and includes representation from NHS England, enacts an escalation process which involves meetings with individual providers to discuss safety and performance issues.Each Chief Pharmacist within each NHS organisation, working with their NHS Clinical Referring Centre, is the responsible officer for the homecare medicines services that the hospital provides. Where the escalation process is in place, the affected provider will engage with this process and provide the NHS organisation with a summary of the issues, mitigations and expected timescales for recovery. If necessary, the regulators the Care Quality Commission and the General Pharmaceutical Council are also informed. If the NHS organisation is not satisfied that the required improvements and standards are being achieved then it can choose to change to another provider on the framework agreement, should the terms and conditions permit.The contracting authority for a national and regional framework agreements may cancel the framework agreement for a provider by issuing a termination notice for a material breach of the terms of the framework which is not capable of remedy or not remedied in accordance with a remedial proposal in line with the terms and conditions of the framework agreement. Similar termination clauses are included in contracts and or framework agreements held directly between local NHS organisations and a provider for homecare medicines services.

Department for Education

Ecology: Education

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what plansthey have made to address (1) the collapse of provision of plant science education in the UK, and (2) the broader lack of nature literacy, as identified by the Scottish Government.

Baroness Barran: The government believes it is vital that young people are taught a broad and balanced curriculum, including about plants and nature, biodiversity, and our impact on the environment.At COP26, the department announced its commitment to develop a primary science model curriculum with a focus on nature. On 9 January, the department published its ‘Plant biosecurity strategy for Great Britain (2023 to 2028)’, which sets out a commitment to protecting plant biosecurity in Great Britain, including raising awareness of the importance of healthy plants and trees.These commitments support the existing requirements in the national curriculum for science and geography, that pupils are taught about plants through a range of topics including the requirements of plants for life and growth, how they vary from plant to plant, how to identify how plants are adapted to suit their environment in different ways, and that adaptation may lead to evolution. In secondary science, within biology, pupils study plants in more depth including their importance in an ecosystem, positive and negative human interactions with ecosystems and the importance of biodiversity more broadly.In geography pupils are taught about nature, including how systems interlink and how we affect our surroundings, natural environments, as well as a deep understanding of the Earth’s physical processes. A key aim of GCSE geography is to ensure young people become environmentally informed. It requires pupils to understand the interactions between people and environments, global ecosystems and biodiversity, and human interaction with ecosystems and environments. Fieldwork also forms an important part of this GCSE.The department has also announced the development of a new GCSE in natural history, to be taught from 2025, which will include opportunities for students to gain a deeper knowledge of the natural world around them.

Schools: Buildings

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Department for Education’s Consolidated Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2022, published on 19 December 2022, what urgent steps they are taking to address serious structural issues which have been identified in school buildings, particularly those built between 1945 and 1970; and what additional infrastructure funding they are making available for this purpose.

Baroness Barran: Safe and well-maintained school buildings are a priority for the department, including those built between 1945 and 1970. That is why we have allocated over £13 billion since 2015 for improving the condition of schools, including £1.8 billion in the 2022/23 financial year, informed by consistent data on the condition of the estate. In addition, the School Rebuilding Programme will carry out major rebuilding and refurbishment projects at 500 schools across England, with buildings prioritised based on their condition. There are now 400 projects in the programme, with the most recent set of 239 schools announced in December 2022.There are no open areas of school or college buildings where the department is aware of an imminent risk to life due to the condition of the buildings. Where the department is alerted to significant safety issues with a building that cannot be managed within local resources, we provide additional support on a case-by-case basis. We also provide extensive guidance for schools and those responsible for school buildings to manage their estates effectively.

Ministry of Justice

Prisoners: Females

Lord Blencathra: To ask His Majesty's Government how many women in prisonwere sectioned under the Mental Health Act 1983 in each of the last five years.

Lord Bellamy: Under sections 47/49 and 48/49 of the Mental Health Act 1983, the Secretary of State may authorise by warrant the transfer of female prisoners to a secure hospital, where he is satisfied that the criteria for detention are met.The number of women prisoners transferred to hospital in each of the last five years are:2021 – 1842020 - 1812019 - 2132018 - 1922017 – 180The data for 2022 are not currently available, they are due for publication later this year.

Ministry of Defence

Ukraine: Guided Weapons

Lord Blencathra: To ask His Majesty's Government whetherthey have any plans to supply Ukraine with missiles with sufficient range to destroy missile systems in Russia which may be targeting civilian infrastructure in Ukraine.

Baroness Goldie: The UK will keep our support to Ukraine under review and has not ruled out the possibility of providing longer range weapons systems to counter Russia's recent indiscriminate mass targeting of civilian infrastructure.We have provided Ukraine with military aid on the understanding that it will be used in accordance with international humanitarian law. We liaise on a daily basis with the Ukrainian Government, and they are clear that equipment provided by the UK is intended for the defence of Ukraine.

Ukraine: Challenger Tanks

Lord Jopling: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to send Challenger II tanks to assist the Government of Ukraine; how many shells will be provided that are suitable for a rifled barrel; and whether any other government has those shells available, given that Challenger II is the only battle tank within the NATO alliance that is capable of using this type of ammunition.

Baroness Goldie: As confirmed by the Secretary of State on 16 January 2023, the UK will send a squadron of 14 Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine, together with armoured recovery and repair vehicles. The gifting of these tanks is part of a significant new package of combat power to increase Ukraine's capabilities and accelerate Ukrainian success on the battlefield.The UK will provide Ukraine with thousands of rounds of tank ammunition.The UK is the only NATO nation which holds the required ammunition for Challenger 2.

Defence Equipment: Ukraine

Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to cover the cost of military equipment supplied to Ukraine from central funds; and if so, how this amount will be calculated.

Baroness Goldie: The government remains committed to supporting Ukraine to defend itself in response to Putin’s illegal invasion, providing £2.3 billion in military support to Ukraine in Financial Year 2022-23, as well as additional funding for replenishment of stocks already donated to Ukraine. Replenishment of granted assets is managed under a standing arrangement between the Ministry of Defence and HM Treasury, with funding provided from Treasury reserves.

Typhoon Aircraft

Lord Goddard of Stockport: To ask His Majesty's Government how many Typhoon aircraft, in service with the Royal Air Force, were deployed abroad at the end of 2022.

Baroness Goldie: As at 13 January 2023 a total of 27 RAF Typhoon aircraft are deployed overseas. In addition, further Typhoon aircraft are conducting operational missions from their home bases in the UK, undertaking Quick Reaction Alert and contributing to the security of NATO's Eastern flank.

Typhoon Aircraft

Lord Goddard of Stockport: To ask His Majesty's Government how many Royal Air Force pilots were qualified to fly Typhoon aircraft operationally at the end of 2022.

Baroness Goldie: I am withholding the information requested as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or the security of the Armed Forces.

Typhoon Aircraft

Lord Goddard of Stockport: To ask His Majesty's Government how many Royal Air Force reservists at the end of 2022 had qualified to fly Typhoon aircraft during their service.

Baroness Goldie: I am withholding the information requested as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or the security of the Armed Forces.

Department for Work and Pensions

Low Incomes: Government Assistance

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what furthersteps they are taking to provide cash support for low-income households.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Government's Energy Price Guarantee will save a typical British household around £900 this winter, based on what energy prices would have been under the current price cap - reducing bills by roughly a third. For those who require additional support the current Household Support Fund, running in England from 1 October 2022 to 31 March 2023, is providing £421 million of funding. The devolved administrations have been allocated £79 million through the Barnett formula. The Household Support Fund will continue until March 2024. This year long extension allows Local Authorities in England to continue to provide discretionary support to those most in need to help with global inflationary challenges and the significantly rising cost of living. The Devolved Administrations will receive consequential funding as usual to spend at their discretion. All benefit rates and State Pensions will increase in line with the Consumer Prices Index for the year to September 2022. This will mean that, subject to parliamentary approval, they will increase by 10.1% in April. In order to increase the number of households who can benefit from these uprating decisions the benefit cap will also be increased by 10.1% subject to parliamentary approval. In addition, for 2023/24, households on eligible means-tested benefits will get up to £900 in Cost of Living Payments. This will be split into three payments of around £300 each across the 2023/24 financial year. A separate £300 payment will be made to over eight million pensioner households on top of their Winter Fuel Payments and individuals in receipt of eligible disability benefits will receive a £150 payment. Further to this, the amended Energy Price Guarantee will save the average UK household £500 in 2023/24. To further support those who are in work, from 1 April 2023 subject to parliamentary approval, the National Living Wage (NLW) will increase by 9.7% to £10.42 an hour for workers aged 23 and over - the largest ever cash increase for the NLW.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Parking: Codes of Practice

Lord Lipsey: To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend to reintroduce the Private Parking Code of Practice,which they temporarily withdrew in June 2022.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: I refer the noble Lord to the answer given to PQ 54476 on 12 October 2022. PQ 54476 (pdf, 83.4KB)

Conveyancing

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to review (1) the conveyancing system, and (2) associated legislation.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: Last year we signalled our intent in the Levelling Up White Paper to work with industry to improve the home buying and selling process. We are currently developing a detailed plan to take this work forward and will make further announcements in due course.